Gun Control Support Continues to Fade (A Terrorist Attack Will Do That)

Gallup had published a poll recently that showed that only 4% of the public thought gun control was the most important issue facing America. The Associated Press conducted a poll that showed that Americans’ support for more gun control has waned since January. A month after the Newtown murders, public support for stricter gun control laws was around 58%, and this month, public support had fallen to 49%.

But in spite of those polls, the media and White House chose instead to focus on another set of polls that showed that an overwhelming majority, 90% of Americans, support universal background checks.

Well, so much for that 90% that allegedly cried out for more government control over self-defense weapons. The Washington Post and the Pew Research Center conducted a new poll published a couple days ago that found that less than half of the public, 47%, were “disappointed/angry” that the Toomey-Manchin gun bill failed. Thirty-nine percent said they were “very happy/relieved” that the bill failed.

Granted, those in the disappointed category still outnumbered those in the relieved category, but not to the ridiculous proportions I’m sure they hoped for. If 90% was truly an accurate representation of the general public’s opinion, then I guess this new poll shows that people’s interest in background checks has plummeted. Either that or the 90% figure was baloney.

A USA Today poll also found that support for more gun control is fading:

“Americans are more narrowly divided on the issue than in recent months, and backing for a bill has slipped below 50%, the poll finds. By 49%-45%, those surveyed favor Congress passing a new gun-control law. In an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll in early April, 55% had backed a stricter gun law, which was down from 61% in February.”

I think people have largely moved on from Newtown. Public support for gun control depended on how close the poll was taken in proximity to the Sandy Hook murders. People’s outcry for more gun control was an emotional response to a tragedy, something that gun-grabbers in Congress and the Senate depend on, but I guess their efforts were too little, too late.

Once they saw support waning and people losing interest, they decided to move on from the 2nd Amendment for now and choose something else to pillage. Thankfully for them, Boston happened, and they saw they could use that tragedy to raid the 4th Amendment. After all, the Constitution is a “living, breathing” document. It can mean pretty much whatever politicians want it to mean. Especially if a survey found that a majority of Americans agreed with them.